According to the defense echelon, those armed individuals in Gaza are civilians who do not support Hamas and who are supposed to be part of the "day after" solution and secure the "humanitarian islands" within Gaza.
The defense echelon insisted that those who control the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza will rule Gaza, but the matter of their identity has not yet been decided, since these individuals cannot be affiliated with Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that they also cannot be affiliated with the Palestinian Authority.
The Israel Hayom report also said that top brass in the defense echelon recently held discussions regarding the aid convoys and the need to disconnect them from the Hamas terror group, which still takes charge of them. The discussion also focused on humanitarian areas which will be set up in accordance with the plan presented by the IDF to the political echelon several weeks ago. This area would be south of the Gaza River, if it is decided to evacuate the 1.4 million Gazans who are now in Rafah.
Last week, hundreds of Gazans rushed at the aid trucks nearing northern Gaza, and as a result dozens of Gazans were killed. The international community blamed Israel for the incident, though the IDF presented a video of the stampede which clearly shows how the Gazans were killed and that it was not Israel's doing.
Since then, it has become clear that the countries which are willing to take responsibility for securing the aid convoys and the humanitarian islands have demanded that armed security guards - Gazans unaffiliated with Hamas - carry out the acts of securing and guarding the convoys, for the purpose of protecting both the aid, and the local population, with weapons provided to them with Israel's approval.
Until now, any Gazan armed in the Gaza Strip has been declared a 'terrorist' by the IDF, and that is how the forces treat him. If the proposed plan were to be implemented, however, it could create a situation in which armed Gazans are wandering about the area while the IDF is still operating in Gaza.
Netanyahu opposes holding a discussion on the matter, and refuses to discuss any plans for after the war ends so long as the IDF is still operating in Gaza.
